Piper PA-28-180 accident near Ukiah, California, April 3, 1988
On April 3, 1988 at about 6:59 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N15847, was destroyed in an accident near Ukiah, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT IFR EXPERIENCE, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND HIS FAILURE TO PERFORM REMEDIAL ACTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1988 · about 6:59 pm local time
- Place
- Ukiah, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N15847 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7305161
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ENCOUNTERED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION & LOST CONTROL OF HIS ACFT DURING CLIMB WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE COURSE IN COMPLIANCE WITH AN ATC CLEARANCE. IMC EXISTED & THE ACFT ACCELERATED TO ABOVE ITS MANEUVERING SPEED. WHEN THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RECOVER THE LEFT WING BROKE UNDER POSITIVE AIR LOADS AT MID-SPAN (OUTBOARD OF THE EXTRUDED SPAR). NO LOG BOOK RECORD WAS FOUND INDICATING THAT THE PLT HAD FLOWN UNDER IFR CONDITIONS IN AT LEAST 6 MONTHS. THERAPEUTIC LEVELS OF DIAZEPAM WERE FOUND IN THE PLT'S LIVER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 915 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 1987; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UKI Ukiah CA at 6:53 pm
- Destination: O01 Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from UKI, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.